A plethora of catch-ups

I accidently took up the cornet recently. I was dropping my son off at a lesson when a cornet was placed in my hands, my photo taken and my hand shaken by several people uttering words of thanks and gratitude for my support. I accepted the situation with bemused resignation and am now learning the cornet which is surprising. I always wanted live cornet in one of my tracks…

So, I told myself I would begin recording my second album in November but you know what? Forget that. How can you plan whats happening in November? Its like, years away and I’m missing the glockenspiel. So far it sounds like the soundtrack to a Downton Abby-esque TV series crossed with The Fast and the Furious. Yeah, kinda wierd. It comes from watching way too many TV series. In fact, over the last 6 months I have watched, in all their entirety – House, Downton Abby, The Walking dead, Breaking Bad, and Homeland so its no wonder my music is sounding a bit orchestrated. You know, pizzicato violins, timpani etc. I tried to keep it simple but I can’t resist a cello concerto.

You’ll nar get a tune like that hen.

Did anyone see the TD15 magazine? That was pretty good. For those who did read it I’d like to make one little correction. Or two. I don’t literally sit ON my keyboard and write songs. That would be really uncomfortable and rather impractical. It would make melody composition cluttered and difficult too. Hmmm, also, I’ve written probably about 40 songs since I began but lets not start boasting. Anyway, well done to Laura Steven, she did a fabulous job.

Another exciting thang I’m doing is I’m starting my own show sometime around the end of April on Lionheart FM. I’m in training at the moment so in the meantime I will be collecting and compiling ideas on features, interviews, music, live sessions, reviews etc so if any of you have a really good idea for a feature or interview within the genre of music, theatre and the arts, please tell me and I shall consider a slot. The show will be a two hour slot every week on a Sunday between 1pm and 3pm and will feature the hilarious Berwick Broadcasting Corporation, a live session with the musician of the moment, local theatre reviews and more and more fun and culture.Two other projects I’m getting involved in, did anyone read about this Wilsons revival initiative that Andrew Ayres is heading? Well yeah, apparently these tales by Berwicks own John Wilson “Could be Berwick’s Canterbury Tales and help put it and the wider region on the literary map.”

“It’s a rich collection that represents a record of our history, heritage, lore and legend,” said Andrew. “They caught the imagination of their age and are due a revival, to be given new life and once more entertain a new generation before they slip further into obscurity.”

I’ve been asked to write the music for one of his ballads “The Battle of the Worlds Vanity”. It goes on for about 10 pages in really small writing so I’m only about 2 pages in so far but thoroughly enjoying the challange. Will probably need a wee choir at some point to perform it.

The other project is top secret and I’m not allowed to talk about it. But it involves WWI and a guy called Bob. Actually, none of this has anything to do with Electric Penelope does it? I think I need a separate blog called ‘things that have nothing to do with Electric Penelope’. Then I could talk about Beauty and the Beast and all that shit…..can’t put the two in the same sentence though, Lisa would kill me.

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